SIOUX VS CC

[PCM]

not to take anything away from karl's career,  but,  he was blessed with unbelievably stellar defense's in front of him to go along with the sick offense's who controlled the puck 45 minutes of the game.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I always find it interesting that people's perception of how good a team was defensively tends to relate directly to how good it was offensively.

Let's look at the Sioux during Goehring's four years (team goals for average and goals against average):

97-98 - GFA = 4.80, GAA = 2.90

98-99 - GFA = 4.98, GAA = 2.55

99-00 - GFA = 4.36, GAA = 2.20

00-01 - GFA = 3.98, GAA = 2.63

And for comparison's sake:

01-02 - GFA = 3.62, GAA = 3.68

02-03 - GFA = 4.00, GAA = 2.79

03-04 - GFA = 4.44, GAA = 2.20

04-05 - GFA = 2.77, GAA = 2.31 (26 games to date)

This season's Sioux team, which literally has a sick offense, is giving up fewer goals per game than any team Goehring had in front of him except for the 1999-2000 national champions.

The problem isn't defense, it's offense.

Dean Blais' formula for success was quite simple:

1. Limit opponents to an average of 25 shots on goal or less

2. Have a goalie with a save percentage of .900 or better

3. Average four goals per game

This season's Sioux team is accomplishing the first two, but falling far short of the third. With UND's current defense and goaltending, the Sioux would be a very tough team to beat if they were averaging anywhere near 4 goals per game.

[The Sicatoka]

The problem isn't defense, it's offense.

... With UND's current defense and goaltending, the Sioux would be a very tough team to beat if they were averaging anywhere near 4 goals per game.

In light of that, let's revisit my discussion of offense and where it isn't coming from, as first posted here:

Last year UND scored averages of 4.44 GPG overall and 4.36 GPG in league.

Guys who left after last season accounted for 1.70 GPG overall (1.64 GPG in league).

Guys who returned accounted for 2.73 (and 2.71).

This year's freshmen are supplying 0.75 (and 0.61).

Yes, that is a step back in total offense; however, add last year's returners to this year's freshman and we have the potential for 3.48 (and 3.32).

We are actually scoring 2.96 (and 2.72).

That's more than a half a goal per game of underproduction of what we project to.

What's that mean? The returning players are not scoring at last year's pace. They are underproducing.

The returnees need to immediately step up, each and every one of them individually, and take individual personal responsibility for scoring starting right now.

PCM said:

... anywhere near 4 goals per game.

How about even anywhere near 3.5 goals per game (like the above says they should be able to produce)?

[dagies]

PCM, those stats are very enlightening. We sometimes crumb on the class of 2001 as having not lived up to expectations, but that class did produce Bo, as well as 3 defensemen who are significant contributors to a defense that is responsible for absolutely gaudy GA averages over the last 2 years. It's true some other offensive players didn't work out as expected, but there are/were some awfully good players in that class. As for as Matt Jones, Andy Schneider, and Nick Fuher are concerned, you can't expect much more from them.

[redwing77]

I wish I had PCM and Sic's ability at finding hard statistics such as that because I'm pretty sure I said the very same thing a while back (Defense isn't the problem, offense is), but anyways, maybe now that PCM and Sic has posted that info, perhaps some of those posters will start to believe that it isn't our D's fault we're not winning.